This invention relates to devices for controlling female incontinence and more particularly to a novel female incontinence control device that employs a manually actuatable valve for controlling urinary discharge.
Urinary incontinence in women is a common condition that can result from a variety of causes including illness, injury or debilitation. An incontinent condition is usually characterized by a weakness or total lack of functioning of the muscles that control expansion and contraction of the urinary sphincter. Thus far there are no known surgical procedures that satisfactorily correct an incontinent condition to the extent that bladder control is substantially restored.
Attempts to ameliorate the condition of incontinence include the use of passive devices such as a collection bag worn by the user to collect urine as it drains from the urethra. One drawback of this arrangement is that the bladder continuously drains into the collection bag without affording the user any control of urinary discharge. A further drawback of this arrangement is that the collection bag must accompany the user and thus inhibits the user's activities. Still another drawback is that the collection bag can provide a path for bacterial infection.
Absorbent pads similar to diapers are another example of a passive remedy for individuals having an incontinent condition. Absorbent pads have disadvantages similar to those described for the collection bag and also require frequent changing.
Other known devices which deal with the problem of female incontinence attempt some form of drainage control and include catheters, draining probes and dilators, such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,194,508; 4,198,979 and 4,563,183. Generally such known devices also include an external fluid collection system fastened to a portion of the user's body.
In general, catheters, collection bags and absorbent pads are cumbersome and awkward to use in dealing with incontinence, and are often a source of embarrassment to the user.
Attempts to address such problems as lack of control, bulkiness, discomfort, embarrassment and inhibition of activities have led to the development of valved incontinence control devices, which eliminate the need for external collection systems and allow the user to exercise control over the discharge of urinary fluids from the urinary tract. Examples of such devices are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,503,400; 3,731,670; 3,939,821 and 4,024,855.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,400, a manually controllable valve is positioned within the urethra near the bladder. Since the valve is intended to be recessed in the urethral passage near the bladder, it is necessary that the valve components be sufficiently small to function within the environment of the urethral passage. Due to the relatively small size of the valve in the urethral passage, the fluid flow rate through the device is relatively low requiring an extensive amount of time to empty the bladder. Such a time consuming process can be discomforting and inconvenient to the user.
Other known devices of the type shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,939,821 and 4,024,855 require surgical implantation, and are essentially permanent installations. Should operational problems arise with these devices, further surgery may be required.
It is thus desirable to provide a female incontinence control device that is manually actuatable by the user to control urinary discharge, permits relatively quick emptying of the bladder, does not unduly impede normal activity of the user and does not require surgical installation.